New figures confirm the Canada Revenue Agency from 2016 doubled the number of audits targeting small business. Data follow longstanding complaints the Agency chases “low-hanging fruit” instead of multinational corporations with sophisticated tax schemes.

The Agency in an Inquiry Of Ministry tabled in the Commons confirmed the number of audits of small and medium sized businesses nationwide doubled from 13,331 in 2015 to more than 28,000 by 2017. The number of audits subsequently fell below 2015 levels but only due to Covid, said the Inquiry.